Over the last years growing interest has been drawn to power semiconductor devices. For example, advances in batteries and energy management as well as the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have intensified the research, development, and manufacturing of electric vehicles, such as electric cars or electricity-powered high speed trains. Other applications lie in the field of power generation, conversion, and distribution. For instance, highly efficient power semiconductor devices can increase the efficiency of electric generators used in power plants, but, on a smaller scale, can also extend battery recharge cycles of mobile devices. For these and further applications, highly efficient and low loss semiconductor devices are sought. Moreover, when operating power semiconductor devices, it is often desired to monitor their operation in order to operate them more reliably or to be able to take measures in case of failure. To compete on today's global markets, it is additionally important for semiconductor companies to reduce manufacturing efforts and costs of such semiconductor devices.
Hence, there is a desire to improve the efficiency of semiconductor devices and the reliability of their operation while maintaining low manufacturing efforts.